Defend the Queen, Die Honorably
by GraceoftheWhiteNoise
Summary: An undefeated Predator clashes with the hive King who will stop at nothing to defend his Queen. Two stories "Faith" and "Bored" meet.
1. Chapter 1

I have no claim on either Predators or Alien franchises.

I worte this and had to post it right here and now, i was very unsure about combining my two storys but this chapter came out in a matters of hours and it seemed so right. The character build suprises me. The next chapter will be from Faiths veiw and i believe it will alternate back and forth. Sorry if there are mistakes i was so excited i only spell check a few times and generally i let a story sit for two days before rechecking it to ensure but that didnt happen. If your new to this plot i can only suggest that you first read my other storys "Faith" and "Bored" before hand.

-Grace-

Chapter One

-Bored-

The back water planet before him was all too familiar he thought bitterly. It should have been, it was where he killed his first hard meat and ascended into the title of Blooded Hunter. A cold and desolate planet full of skeletal trees, harsh mountain ranges and plains covered in a thick dense fog. The only colors that seemed to thrive here were shades of grey and the bleakest of browns. It was mostly populated by large four legged mammals, nine feet tall with cloven hooves and worn leathery skin. Small trunks adorn their thin and long faces, sunken and beady black eyes twitching constantly. They were as skeletal as the trees. Ribs defined by shadows on their grey hides that were stretched thin overtop. Moving in herds through the fog like ghosts, only tracks in the dry earth a sign of their passing.

When they had situated the first Hard Meat colony here the planet had been over populated with them. Now it was obvious their numbers were dwindling, he was surprised the monsters hadn't killed them all. It was a strange colony, they let them roam and use the planet as they pleased. Free ranged Kainde Amedhe, tasty. They were more of a challenge to hunt, they knew their surroundings, could burrow, trap, climb, ambush. The hives had more time to develop and the queen more time to birth than the pyramid set ups they had on other planets. They had been cultivating this one for centuries dropping off a shipment of soft meats every fifty years to strengthen the Hive. Through the creatures here made large and tough hard meats they were never as intelligent as one grown in a Human.

He had killed the first Queen during his Chiva, the predecessor had been one of her drones born from one of the shipped soft meats. Since then no other Unblooded Hunter had survived a Chiva here and this planet became a hunting ground for only the most skilled and promising younglings. It was a true test of worth and it was considered a great honor to be thought worthy enough to be blooded here. Now if the pups could only survive it.

If it wasn't sacred Chiva ground then no doubt many would have flocked for this Queens skull, she would be a trophy like no other. Even one of her drones would be a prized trophy! They were large, intelligent, disciplined. Working together, laying traps, and they had a leader. The drone was nicknamed "The General" by his people, tales and rumors floated on home planet and many would have paid heavily to hunt it. Rumor said during the Chivas hosted here when the Elders reviewed the feed transmitted by the Unblooded's helmets it would be seen leading the hoards, hissing orders, and then often delivering the final death blows. Twelve feet tall, ebony black, slashed scars over his mid section were he had nearly been gutted and with a slight developing crest. A fine trophy indeed.

How had he ended back here after countless years? On this cold desolate wasteland of a planet, he was no unblooded youngling. Growling low in his throat thinking of what had transpired over the past mere days. He had been offered a position as Elder and he WAS going to decline it. However the Female Elders including the High Matriarch herself had already decided otherwise. He had been summoned to their temple and given an ultimatum, he was to leave there either as an Elder on his own two feet or dragged out by the servants with his life blood on the floor or his head mounted. He decided on the first option pretty darn fast, the Female Elders weren't renowned for their patience and if they were hell-bent on him being and Elder there wasn't too much he could do about it. Except maybe turn Bad-Blood and fight his way out of there. Against twelve pissed off Female Elders? All bigger in size and ego than he was? It would be a pretty quick fight. Perhaps it had something to do with them only permitting themselves to breed with someone with equal status, because he had more than one propositioning and eager Female at the doors of his new quarters within the hour after he was confirmed and welcomed by the other males. They were probably making a schedule for his bed as he sat here in the ship.

As his first duty as elder to make sure it was all proper he had to watch over a Chiva, so he had been given command of a small ship and accompanied by the three chosen Younglings had set off to the given coordinates. It was probably some sort of joke among the others to have it here. He was also suspicious that the huge red cloak he had to wear was some sort of sick joke as well. He had always seen it as a sign of status and power, now that he was wearing one himself he couldn't help but to think it was completely unrealistic. Firstly it felt as though it weighed as much as all his armor put together and secondly it was terribly awkward to move with it trailing behind him, between tripping over it and it getting stuck in every automatic door he went through. He should have just let the High Matriarch kill him instead of this cruel suffering. Hunting in the thing would be completely out of the question.

He looked at the monitors in front of him and tapped a few buttons. They had just reached the planet and were now performing a sweep so the three Unblooded hunters in the preparation room could gather their bearings and begin formulating a plan. A scan of the Hard Meat hive appeared on screen. It was dug into the side of the nearby mountain, originating from a natural cave and then spreading into burrowed out tunnels and paths all based around one massive cavern. At first glance it seemed like common chaos with all of the winding tunnels, dead ends, and sharp turns. But he had been studying it for the past hour and now he saw order to the chaos. It was one huge, dangerous, and Kainde Amedhe infested, death trap of a maze. It ran almost all the mountain and then into the ground beneath it. Full of ambush sites, gorges, bottlenecks and blind corners. Their home, you're grave.

And all of it was to protect their center cavern housing the Queen, it would be suicide to try and reach it. He had yet to find a safe route to the Queen's Chamber save one incomplete tunnel that was only about half way to the surface. It would appear that they were digging a route for the Queen out of the hive. This puzzled him, they had been situated here for ages why move now?

Incessant beeping interrupted his thoughts and a hub appeared in the monitor's right hand corner. The hunt would soon begin and he was supposed to say a…encouraging speech to the Hunters. He was at a loss and some how he didn't think, "Sorry, their dug in deep, your pauked." would cut it. Sighing he picked up his trustworthy companion from where it had been sitting in his lap and held it up to his face seeking comfort in it's black sockets. "How did we get ourselves into this mess?" he clicked at it. When no answer was forthcoming he sighed again. Then stood and being weary of the cape strode from the room, only pausing to yank on it when it caught in the doors.


	2. Chapter 2

I don' t own either Alien or Predator franchises.

That took longer than expected and I'm still unsatisfied. Unfortunate. I hope its better for you than it is for me. I would also like to thank anyone who has previously review and of my stories I've put up. I recently noticed I was being an ungrateful biatch and I appreciate everyone's reviews and feedback.

-Grace-

Chapter Two

-Faith-

They were starving, the hive was starving, and it was my fault. I was failing the Queen, my mate. I was unfit to be graced with her might and her adoration. I deserved nothing but a cruel death at her hands, but instead those four clawed hands were rubbing my crest in affection as she hissed a calming tone above me. She had grown another egg sac and was once again nestled in her proclaimed cavern gripping the walls with back struts and slimy supports. In my recently proclaimed position I sprawled beneath her might, there being just enough room between her and the cavern floor, her chin resting on the peak of my spiked crest, sharp claws fondly tracing patterns upon it. My own chin resting on my forearms and our tails so entwined it was impossibly to tell whose was which.

"Worthless", I whispered to her across our mated bond. I was worthless, a failure to her and the hive. We were starving and the egg born younglings dying without hosts to fill. There was not enough of the native creatures to support us in the area anymore, they had migrated and avoided our valley now. She hissed angrily at my statement, she didn't think I was failing, I merely had to make a hard decision. I had sent drones out to scout a new hive home and all of strongest had been sent to begin the construction of it. The others put to the task of digging a new tunnel large enough for us to go to our new home. Her anticipation was astounding, it being the first time since her drone years the Matriarch would be able to step foot on the planet surface.

However I was still failing, if all the strongest drones were digging half way across the planet, who was to protect the Queen on her surface trek? The already weak drones who were suffering from starvation and a recently ascended king who was a clumsy mess in his new form? As a drone I was strong, powerful, and precise. A killing machine made of claws and teeth, fine tuned in accuracy and timing over the years. Now I had managed to knock down no less than three hive walls and one roof.

That was the reason she was once again laying eggs, our eggs. The few beasts we could afford to spare were to become our newest children, and they would protect the matriarch on the journey. They would be warriors, the strongest of our kind yet, that I was sure of. The children of a king. I began to feel them stirring in the chests of their hosts that where strung to the walls in front of us. Three skeletal beasts, the biggest the drones could find in the valley, began to shriek their pain nearly simultaneously.

"Call to them, My King. Call to your children. They will come." My Queen hissed eagerly. I reached out with my mind and felt my children reach back, their young thoughts erratic and instinctual. I called for them as my mate began to as well. They knew us already, and they wanted to be of the hive, wanted to be with us. I briefly recalled a long lost memory of my birth, of my desire to be of the hive, before it was gone again.

It was beautiful, my pride swelled, as one of the creatures death screams became louder then was replaced by the new screech of a youngling born from the intestines and blood of it's hosts. I could feel it's hunger and awe at it's new world, it's uncertainties and it's understandings. My new parental instincts taking over I chased away my youngling's fears and replaced it with my presence and affection.

The second little one came shortly afterward and my pride and instincts did not dampen in the slightest. Is this how it felt for my matriarch at every single one of her drones birthing? For there had been many brethren born throughout my lifetime as a drone beside her. Many had died. How did she stand it, I thought as he looked down at the two little ones making small screeches and taking their first look at their surroundings, how did she not let herself die when one of her children's presence in her mind was lost.

If one of my new youngling's were to die, I promised, my rage would be felt to the end of the galaxy and the perpetrator would serve to replace the life extinguished

The third took longer than its siblings, I could feel it twisting and turning in the animals guts almost playfully. Enjoying the feel of the blood and the pain it caused. I liked this one, I could try not to play favoritism but I knew it was too late, this one amused me in its morbid curiosity. The host's screams were becoming weaker, its own blood pouring out its sides as it was slowly being torn apart from the inside, and eyes become lifeless and dim. Finally, as if bored of its toy, just before the hosts heart cease beating the little one impaled it on its tail whilst breaking through the thickest section of ribs, ripping the large still pulsing muscle out with it.

I couldn't help but to feel proud of the little one as it began to devour the organ of its host feeling rather pleased with herself. Herself? Yes she was a dormant Queen and some day when our rein of the hive was over she would be the one to ascend into her mother's status of Matriarch.

I preened, our youngling's, my youngling's, were now born onto this planet. They were large and the mottled brown expected of their unshod skins, but they were still so different then I had once been. They had sweeping helms, not quite crests that seemed to slope downwards protecting their necks. Spikes protruding out of their elbows and knees, but until they shed into their matured forms it was to be seen how different physically they would be. However it was in the other aspect they were so unique, their minds were…developed. Drones were generally exactly that a drone, it had taken many years for me to become an individual, still one of the Hive but I had grown personality. Many drones never did, they were the soldiers of the Matriarch to obey and serve her will. These three though, I could feel their personalities through our bond.

The eldest was unsure of its surrounding and of himself, feeling a desire to protect his siblings, his movements showed caution and his thoughts were of the dangers presented. The second was of opposite, confident and strong but rash and easily angered. The third, she was curious in her nature and defiant towards her brother's protectiveness over her. However, over all of it, I could feel her want (no her need) to please me to earn her King's affection. They were all mere moments old and still they each had uniqueness, I reached to my Queens mind in uncertainty, was this natural? Was she impressed with our new youngling's or did she resent their individuality?

"Perfect", was the soft thought that came through our bond. She was in awe of them, astounded at what we had created. She bathed me in glorious warm affection began stroking my crest in firm long raking of claws, her chin nuzzling underneath it to nip softly at my sensitive neck. I returned these feeling, so glad I had not failed at one aspect of our relation, my tail tightening around hers and an possessive growl rumbled deep in my chest. My Matriarch, My Queen, My Love. Mine.

Settling more comfortably beneath my goddess we watched our newborns feast on their hosts, her thoughts encouraging them to eat and grow strong. We then extended our minds as one to oversee the developments in our Hive.

The future hive was progressing fast, its tunnels becoming extensive and the main cavern for my Queen almost complete. It was being built in a mountain not unlike the one we were currently residing in, the valley though was much larger and our host's main source of food and water lay upon the outskirts. If properly managed we would not grow hungry there. The tunnel leading to the surface was however a slower progress, the drones faltering, smaller tunnels collapsing upon them, and the distance to the surface was extreme. The Queen's throne cavern buried deep within the mountain to better protect her, the tunnel was just passed the half way mark to completion.

Then there was panic, it came from one of the drones hunting the surface, and the drones thoughts and sights immediately replaced my own. I still found it unnerving to be able to see through another's eyes. It appeared as though the heavy fog that coated the surface was being pushed away by current of air originating from a large shape in the sky. I knew better, I knew what it was and the timing couldn't be worse. It was the monsters coming to hunt us, to hunt her, my Queen. I shrieked in rage. I wouldn't let this happen. I would feed their glowing hearts to her.


	3. Chapter 3

I will never own any of the Predator or Alien Franchises

Apparently sleep is for the week and I didn't need any at the moment. This chapter came out like a bat out of hell, i planned on uploading it tomorrow... but fuck it, you can have it now! I love everything about this chapter and think my insides hurt from writing it. Don't want to get too cocky now.

Also shout out to N1nj4 Grrrl for reviewing the last chapter i posted three hours ago. Your stories are awesome and if anyone hasn't had a chance go read them! Thank you for your support!

And now some sleep, I've earned it in my mind.

-Grace-

**H'sai-de – **A scythe-like sword

**Ki its-pa – **Spear

**Ki'cti-pa - **Wristblades

**Kwei – **Sly, Tricky

**Awu'asa – **Full Body Armor

Chapter 3

-Bored-

Saying that his speech went poorly would have been major understatement, he had basically stood there the whole time staring into space and while in the unblooded Yautja's minds it would have looked bold and intimidating, it was really just because he was at a loss of what to say. In the end he settled on what he could remember from the speech he was given at his Chiva. That elder was long dead so he didn't think he would mind being ripped off. The speech was likely given to deaf ears anyways. The hunt so close he could smell the hormones running through their systems, muscles twitching slightly, the one to his right constantly running a finger over the hilt of a knife strapped to his hip. Did the blade have meaning? Given to the tall lanky pup by his sire? He shouldn't dwell on this, he thought, with a shake of his dreads. The pup would be nothing but Kainde Amedha feed in a few short and terrifying moments.

This bunch wouldn't survive, didn't have a chance with Paya. The three of them were good enough in theory but he had seen the hive himself and that had been many years ago. With this new Queen and the Hives obvious strength it would take nothing less than miracles and a gods blessing to escape the hive even with a face hugger kill.

The tallest with the blade was thin and quick with any weapon he could throw, but not as proficient with technology, you need to be good with everything to survive here. The middle was a noble pup (probably why he got the honor of hunting here) and he was average in every mannerism, from build to hunting skills. First to the chopping block in his mind, he was going to be nothing but cannon fodder for the other two. The third was most promising, he had it rough from the start, which makes a tough Yautja. Growing up under a sire's bad blood habits made him want to prove himself worthy in the clan. If he earned his own mark then he wouldn't have to be watched by every condescending elder within range. Plus the pup had a good head on his shoulders and could work a **H'sai-de** like he had never seen. Too bad.

Blades, Cannon Fodder, and the BadBlood. Though they had just said their names to him, he had already forgotten them, wanting that little bit of distance as he watched them sent to their deaths and all. Nicknames it was, he snickered, had to have something to call them. Then as soon as he had met them they were off and the hunt was on. Dropping to the ground from where the ship was hovering and taking off toward the hive eager to start making there names in society.

He then settled the ship a ways away from the hive to begin watching the show, wanting to preserve as much fuel as possible. If this elder business didn't work out he could always run, at least as a Bad Blood he could maybe fight a good arbitrator or two if they were brave enough.

Flopping into the command chair the screen was already showing the young ones mask feeds. Inserting their nicknames above each split screen so he would not get too confused he began to watch his skull in one hand and a small blade in the other. He had recently decided that the skull could do with some embellishment. Nothing to fancy just a few glyphs and patterns here and there, now that he was an elder no one would think twice of it.

Swinging his legs up onto the control counter he relaxed and watch as the action was slowly starting up, the unblooded pups standing at the entrance of the Hive scanning it with their masks, a lone drone was seen in the briefest flash of green before scurrying into the caves depths. But that was all the incentive they needed, three roars could be heard from where his ship was as they cloaked and charged into the maze.

The drone needed to be caught before the other hard meats were alerted he thought, and that was their thought process as well, the three rushed around a ninety degree turn in the maze following the drone as it led them through the tunnels. The hard meats already knew the hunters were there he realized with a start, the drone had lead them into a sheer drop off, five other drones watched from the ceiling as the pups began to fall into the pit. Blades leapt at the last moment barely clearing the drop clinging to the opposite edge, pulling himself up to see the drones scatter, his plasma caster charging and sending off two Hail Mary's towards the last flickering tail.

BadBlood had managed to direct his falling into a tunnel entrance around sixty feet down the pit, rolling at impact he stood ready for a fight. **Ki its-pa **extended he turned to see two forks in the tunnel and using his wrist console he decided upon the left tunnel. It would lead him closer to the queen. Too bold for a pup he thought not recalling that he had killed a Queen during his Chiva.

Cannon Fodder caught himself much farther down the cliff wall on a ledge using his claws and **Ki'cti-pa** to slow his descent. He then had an option out of at least seven tunnels. Two were too small for him and his wrist console showed that three were dead ends. The one on his upper right would take him near the Queens Chamber then angle towards the surface, the one straight ahead curved down deeper than the Queen Chamber and eventually met an underground river. Upper right it was.

He was in shock the Kainde Amedha generally an instinctive and raw race has separated the hunters. It was as though they understood that the three together was more of a threat to them than one alone. Next they would be disabling their cloaking devices and wrist consoles!

Badblood was chasing a Hard Meat down his tunnel. The thing had leapt out of a small hidden hole in the roof and had taken a swipe at him. The claws had left small gouges upon his chest armor that had stopped it. The hard meat jumped and turned, twisting down tunnel after tunnel, but the cliff stunt wasn't about to work on BadBlood again. He had already leapt two sizable pits. However that wasn't the drones plan, he had led BadBlood straight into a dead end, the Kainde Amedha turned hissing, tail swishing, claws at the ready. That was all the invitation Badblood needed, charging with a roar he attacked the hard meat picking it up by the throat and sending it flying back down the tunnel they had come form. He then took after it but the hard meat stood and hissed taking off down a tiny side tunnel. Just before the tunnel collapsed.

He almost wanted to applaud the **kwei** alien, it had effectively trapped the most dangerous threat to the hive, and even himself as an aged hunter hadn't seen that coming. This Queen really was something.

He wasn't really too sure what Blades was doing, the hunter would decide on one direction and as soon as he took a few steps a drone would appear screeching behind him. He would then turn to attack said drone and it would be gone as abruptly as it had appeared. Then moving to peruse that drone a different drone would appear in the direction he had previously been facing and would begin to screech and hiss at him. The pup was at a loss. He hurled a throwing knife at the one behind him based on the position of the shrieks. It hit the hard meat in the hip, the shrieks grew louder and it scampered down the tunnel. Blades decided to follow the already wounded drone, tracking the acidic blood now burning into the rocky ground.

Cannon Fodder was doing better than expected, he was still breathing, but the six Kainde Amedha looked as though they were going to fix that little problem real soon. These six had funneled him into a larger cavern then covered any exit large enough for Cannon Fodder to escape, the smaller ones were used for strategic attacks and retreats. Cannon Fodder was holding his own for the moment using his **Ki its-pa** to keep them at a distance while firing his plasma caster at the retreating ones. Two of the six were wounded; one with a thick gash along its side, the other its tail hacked off at near the base.

The hard meats were using it to their advantage however the wounded crawling across the cavern roof letting the acid blood drip down upon the pup. Rivets and melting metal paths covered his **Awu'asa** as he attempted to dodge not only the tails and claws of his enemies but the blood raining down from the ceiling. A large spatter had already stuck his wrist console rendering it useless and shorting out his cloaking. His mask was beginning to fritz as well, randomly shuttering through the visions available. It was only a matter of time before they overwhelmed him.

One slashed at his ankles and Cannon Fodder twisted mid air in his jump to avoid the attack, bring his **Ki its-pa **down and through the hard meats skull, it twitched and died quick. A good kill and Cannon Fodder roared in triumph, but it was the only opening the others needed. The drone with the gash dropped down from the roof onto his back forcing him to his knees, acid blood running down his side, he roared now in pain as he grabbed for its tail to tear it off him. The others descended upon him in their hisses of triumph as the tore into the hunter. Florescent blood now streaked their hides and the cave walls, dripping into small pools on the ground off their teeth and claws. His death was neither quick nor clean and finally the drone on his back ended it with its inner mouth entering Cannon Fodders skull.

He sat in the ship trying his best not to remorse the pups death, trying not to get up and hunt down the Kainde Amedha that had killed him. Trying not to wish he knew the pup's real name. He had fought well, till the end, but he had not earned his right of passage. He had killed but not marked himself, but there was still hope for the others if BadBlood had survived the cave in. If they were worthy they would survive, if they were worthy they would return to the ship with a skull and a mark. He looked down at the skull in his hand realizing he hadn't carved a single thing. Being an elder maybe wasn't as easy as he had thought it to be.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own Aliens or Predator

This chapter probably took the longest to make sound right but in the end it worked. It was also supposed to be done last night but i ended up writing some dirty Transformers story. Whoops. But as off tomorrow I'm back to work so the next chapter could be awhile. Enjoy.

-Grace-

Chapter 4

-Faith-

They would dare to enter my hive and strike out at my family? They would dare threaten my Queen? The monster deserved to be torn to pieces by our children like the wretch it was. The monster had hurt them, had killed. So when the death blow was delivered I hissed in the hives victory. My traps and plans bore fruit for the drone's efforts. Under my direction they had successfully separated and trapped the threats. The strongest stuck a cave in, the fastest being circled by the fastest drones, the weakest laying in its own rapidly cooling blood. I ordered for the corpse to be brought to the throne room, my Queen would eat its heart and my freshly shed young feed on the meat.

The beasts were strong ones therefore the flesh would make my children strong. A thought brewed and took form in my mind. If the monsters were so strong what of the hive members born from them? Would they serve to be powerful hosts? With our new hive taking form we could use all the strength available, my queen needed to be defended, and these hunters came rarely in small numbers. When would the next opportunity arise?

We had already managed to successfully trick them and the first had died relatively easy with only one hive loss. Perhaps the other two could be utilized. It might not be easy but perhaps worthwhile. If the cost proved too great we will just end them.

The hisses and chirrups of my new children scattered these thoughts. The two males were rolling about on the cave floor hissing and spitting attempting to pin each other, playfully swiping claws and tails, the eldest was winning it would appear. Little Queen was perched between my spiky back struts gripping the edge of my crest, tail swishing back and forth, as she chirped her brothers on. They had recently shed their mottled brown exoskeleton and grown quickly into the shiny black they would retain for the remainder of their lives.

Or at least my sons had, Little Queen was growing much slower and she was still a brown hue, not quite as large as the other two. Sharp and deadly, warriors they certainly were. Their helms sweeping into three spikes, two longer and angled down to protect their necks, the center one slightly shorter and straight could be used to defend their backs. Claws sharp and curved, the inner two on their hind feet larger and crescent shaped designed for disemboweling enemies. Their elbows had spikes also meant to protect their backs. Tails were long and lean, barbed at the tips, to make impaling easy. Tall but slimmer than the other drones they were and impressive sight.

My Queen reached down with her inner arms and lifted little one off my back. Bringing her up to her face she rubbed against the little one fondly before extending her second mouth. Little Queen quickly returned the gesture to her mother and afterward crooned against the Matriarch's crest. The young one saw the gesture as a sign of affection, but I knew better, my Queen was nervous at having a dormant queen within the hive. I reassured her with the knowledge that Little Queen was ours and she would not turn her back to her hive. Not with us as her King and Queen. Then I shared my musing on making the hunters our hosts. How I thought if our younglings from some filthy plains beasts were so formidable, then the ones born of the monsters would be the most fearsome hive members yet.

She was hissing her agreement when the five florescent green streaked victors dragged the corpse in. It was a mess, to put lightly, barely recognizable save for the armor it wore. My distaste for the creature was tangible as I squirmed out from beneath my mate dragging our still entwined tails behind me. I stood over top of it, staring into the ruined mask, I wanted it off. Digging my claws in at its edges I tore it from the body and tossed it away. The hunters face was as I remembered them and I hissed at it wishing the lifeless eyes could still see. Watch in horror at my sheer might as I plunged a hand into its chest and ripped out its still beating heart. However my claws closed around a very still and dead heart disturbing my fantasy.

I turned to my Queen for she would decide if the hunters were suitable hosts; the blood would speak to her. I placed the heart in my mouth and crawled toward my goddess with my offering. Gently, she closed her large jaws over mine and using her inner mouth she fed from my maw. Her hands came forward to grip each side of my face holding me in place. It was sensual. I worshiped her with my mind.

Finished she hissed her satisfaction, she wanted the other two captured and they would be the most antiquate hosts. Praising the five that killed this one she permitted them to come forth and bask in her glory. They would lead under my orders the monsters capture. Our own children screeched they wanted to join the hunt, wanted to join the hive. My Queen considered a moment before agreeing, if after they fed upon the corpse they grew in strength, then the young ones could join in the capture of the hosts.

They leapt upon the body and began to tear into it, stripping it of the metal and bone it wore. Tearing at the belly trying to get at the sweet organs within. They looked almost comical painted with the glowing essence fighting over the tastier bits. Little Queen however still had claim over whatever she pleased, with one low guttural growl, her brothers stepped back until she had ate her fill. What remained of the corpse afterward my Matriarch gave to the victors and they thanked her generosity with earnest shrieks.

Then with the Queen's blessing and luck the eight of them turned and left us in search of their prey. They would start with the one already trapped in hope it would be a simple manner of digging it out and subduing it. The other was hopefully well occupied at the moment. As one we extended our minds to the drones tasked to the hunter only to find in our distraction one of our hive members had been beheaded and the other had lost track of the monster. My Queen screamed in rage. Rage at the loss of her child, rage at the incompetence of the other.

Suddenly the cries turned from rage to pain as a spear was embedded in her side, blood pouring out of the wound and spattering to the ground. I turned, anger rising, looking for the one who had harmed her.

There, a shimmer in the dark, then a blast of light in my direction, I ducked avoiding it. Charging forward my steps shook the ground, my cries echoing down the tunnels. I slashed at the glinting figure and connected, slamming it into the opposite cavern wall. Now the hunter was visible and my vision turned red with fury. I charged as it pulled an object from its side and targeted my mate with it, hurling it towards her. I raced forward swinging my head using my crest as a shield for her. The disk embedded itself deep and a pained cry escaped my jaws. The hunter was back on his feet now, firing more bursts of light from its shoulder. I was almost upon it. I could almost taste its tangy blood.

My feet were jerked out from under me and I fell to my knees with a crash. My tail, my tail was still entwined with my mates and now they were pulled taunt between us as she shrieked again in pain. I had almost torn her from her egg sac. Then one of the bursts of light connected with my shoulder, I could feel it burning, I could smell my own flesh cooking. I stretched forward with my claws intending to rip the hunters head from its body. It pressed against the cavern walls and the hunter was just out of my reach. Frustrated I quickly lay on my belly and threw my jaws forward to crush it in my jaws. Dirt filled my mouth and I spat it to the ground as the hunter dodge and struck my crest with a long blade, severing a large portion. I swung my neck and smacked the hunter back with my crest, my blood spattering down his front. His armor saved him as he wrenched it off and it melted to a pool on the ground. It roared at me in triumph as it switched its grip on the blade with intentions to stab downward into my skull.

My eldest was suddenly upon it, tackling it to the ground, biting at the mask and hitting the blade from its hand. The hunter gripped his throat and used his legs and momentum to flip him over and sprawling onto the ground. They both rose quickly, circling each other, hissing and clicking filled the chamber. Two blades sprung from the monsters wrist as he attacked with a roar. My son used his forearm to block the slash and slammed his helm into the featureless mask. The hunter stumbled backwards, taking advantage his tail pierce through the hunter's armor impaling his shin. Then using only the strength of his tail he lifted the hunter over his head to dangle in the air. Rising to his full height, lips quivering in an anticipating hiss, he opened his mouth to bare a large wickedly toothed inner maw snapping in thought of piercing the skull and brains of his defeated opponent. I rose, hissing my pride of his victory, encouraging his rightful kill. Surprise filled me when my son instead threw with all his might the struggling hunter straight into the nearest wall. The hunter fell to the ground in a cloud of dust motionless.

He then scurried to assist my Queen who was keening in pain. She was unable to reach the spear in her side, calling for me to help her. I ran to her side in haste, looking at her wound, making soothing noises in my chest. Thankfully it was not as deep as it could have been as I quickly removed the spear and pushed my snout against it to slow the bleeding. Now others were arriving, searching for the source of the noise, snarling when the saw the unconscious hunter.

My mate began hissing orders at the drones; the hunter was to be secured to the ground before her and prepared to become of host, then two drones were to set upon the task of untangling our tails from each other, two others were to immediately go to the cave where the other hunter was and monitor it at all times. The hive scattered to fulfill the orders given. All save our eldest child. She called him closer and gently rubbed against him in reward for his actions, I came to stand next to them and watched as she made small motherly shrills to him and he returned them with soft chirps and clicks.

What would I have done had she been killed? What would she have been done had I died? Claimed a new king? I wish to never know that answer, and now I owed our child my very life. I would be a better King. For my son, for my mate.

* * *

The next two chapters will be done... a little differently. But its a surprise. -Grace-


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own either franchises.

So this chapters done in the POV of Blades (the one who just got knocked out to clarify) and its a sort of different thinking around the whole Alien coming out of your chest business. The next chapter will also be done in a secondary characters POV then we will be going back the the mainers. Enjoy.

-Grace-

* * *

Chapter Four

-Blades-

Waking to the sensation of blood filling my throat I began to panic. I was choking, suffocating on it. My own blood. I tried to roll, get hands to my face to save myself, but I couldn't move. Being helpless was worse then death my teacher's voice whispered in the depths of my foggy mind.

Coughing and hacking I could feel blood dripping from my mandibles and running over my face, some pooling in the hollows of my closed eyes. The air hurt as it rushed into deprived lungs and I gasped in shallow and pained bursts. My skin felt tight over my midsection constricting the airflow.

My organs felt like they were being crushed, I couldn't fill my lungs, my mind began to darken again as I struggled to get enough air into my blood stream and to my brain. I needed to live, I was blooded, I was now worthy of my clan. I couldn't die helpless in the dark. It would disgrace my newly earned honor.

Then there was a hiss in the dark. A loud hiss that came from directly above my prone form.

My warning growl sounded weak and strained to my ears. I lifted my head to the threat intending to meet my death with as much honor as capable. Instead I was met with the realization that I was on the ground before the Queen I had tried to kill. She was not happy. Her slime cascaded down onto my bare front and legs as she screeched in my face. I strained against the hardened secretions holding me in place. I could hear them bending and creaking to my strength but they stubbornly held. Another cry erupted from the huge Kainde Amadhe's mouth seeming almost to chastise me for ignoring her. She had no eyes to be seen but I could feel the weight of her gaze upon me.

She was fearsome, I was told to never pale in front of an enemy, never feel fear. I doubted few of my kind, Teacher included, had ever been at a Queens mercy. She leaned her snout down to look at me, her inner mouth coming out snapping, and I prepared for my end. The blow never came and I felt disappointed, if she was not going to kill me herself then… Pauk they were going to impregnate me. Struggles renewed, I could taste the fear I felt. Not only was becoming a host for these things a great dishonor but I had no desire to have a parasite grow and live inside me.

All of my armor had been removed and I felt chilled and defenseless as I wildly searched for the little many-legged egg born Kainde Amadhe that no doubt would be coming soon. Any second I would feel that slimy tail wrap onto my throat stilling my struggles as it slid its tubing down my esophagus and began fulfilling its nature. Long spindly legs encasing my skull.

Then I saw the already still and belly up one lying next to me.

Devastation filled me as I began to understand, that tight crushed feeling inside my torso wasn't battle damage, it was the thing growing inside. Coiled up next to my insides feeling warm and safe.

No! No, this wasn't happening! It had to be broken ribs, bruising, or internal bleeding! I had been slammed into a solid rock wall by that thing. The other Queen, I had forgotten of it! It was even larger than the one with the egg sac, where was it?

I craned my neck to see more of the throne room only to find the monstrosity directly behind me. My disk still embedded deep in it sweeping, viciously spiked, and now lopsided crest. The wound, however, only made it look more fearsome as green acid still seeped from it and flowing down over its face. A steady beat filling the cavern of a drip then a sizzling as it hit the ground. It was settled back onto its haunches, quietly watching the other, waiting for something.

Then the sickening feeling of something squirming inside my chest cavity brought me back to my situation. Bile rose to my throat, I could no longer deny it, there was one in me. I needing to end it, end my own life, it was the only way to save my honor. I would not be a host and I would not be used to populate their hive. The bonds on my left arm began to crack and hope filled me as I begun to free myself. My struggling was exciting the abomination inside me. It began to churn and squirm faster and faster in me. Its birth coming close, I could feel it preparing itself to meet the world. My arm was free and I began to dig at my chest with my claws. If I had to tear out my own heart I would do it. No hesitation. The two Queens began to chirp and squeal in anticipation, the second one's tail coming forward. It one swift motion it impaled my arm into the ground and I roared in frustration.

"Let me die with honor." I screamed at the black beasts even if they couldn't understand. They ignored my demands and continued to squeal and chirrup. It sounded as though they were calling to something. As their noises became louder and more urgent I could feel the parasite grow more excited and frenzied in its movements. Clawing at my internals and butting its head against my ribs. They were calling to the one inside of me.

Blood welled in my throat again and I could see it pooling and spilling off my torso. I strained to keep my head up to see the damage being inflicted on me, I felt weak, pathetic. I tried to keep any noises of pain with in me, tried to be strong, but it was too much. As the thing began to snap ribs and thrash in my chest cavity, I began to roar and scream, my back arching in spite of the bonds. It was close and my death was soon.

Some elders say as the death god Cenatu came for you he showed you your life and your misgivings, but as my movements stilled and my pained noised quieted into harsh gasps, I heard something different. I heard THEM, the Queen's voices were everywhere, echoing in my mind in time to their hissing. No not Queens, one queen and one king. Screeching encouraging, loving, and excited words to their little one.

"Come to us, come to your home, come and be of the hive."

And I found myself wanting to. Wanting to be with my brethren. Wanting to be with them, My King, My Queen. I wanted it so badly, more than being blooded, more than mating, more than any trophy. I wanted to be of the hive. Then it burst through my ribs, shrieking and splaying its tiny mandibles in success. As life left me and I took my last breath I tried to hate it; hate it for killing me, hate it for those it would kill, hate it for being the abomination it was. Instead I was jealous.


End file.
